UN Human Rights experts call on Iran to end repression of Baloch and Kurdish minorities

Independent United Nations human rights experts have called on Iranian authorities to halt the increasing targeting of ethnic minorities, especially the Baloch and Kurdish communities. They highlighted reports of widespread arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, torture, and executions, urging Iran to end these practices and respect the rights of these groups.

In a joint statement issued on August 6, the experts emphasized that Iran’s ethnic minorities must be able to live safely and with dignity, free from discrimination and repression. They stressed that the ongoing violations undermine fundamental human rights and threaten the very fabric of social cohesion within Iran.

Since the protests began in December 2025, Iranian authorities have reportedly detained thousands of individuals, many of whom have been subjected to torture and ill-treatment aimed at extracting confessions. These practices have been widely documented and condemned by the experts, who view them as serious violations of international law.

Many detainees from ethnic minorities have also been forcibly disappeared, with no information provided about their fate or whereabouts. The experts expressed concern that enforced disappearances are being used systematically to suppress dissent and intimidate communities that oppose the government’s policies.

The statement pointed out a sharp rise in arbitrary arrests and politically motivated sentences, often based on broadly defined national security charges. Ethnic minorities, including Kurds and Baloch, have been disproportionately targeted under these vague and sweeping accusations.

In 2026 alone, at least 24 members of the Baloch minority and 22 Kurds have been executed, with many others facing imminent risk of execution. The experts condemned these executions as part of a broader pattern of repression and called for an immediate halt to such practices.

The experts also criticized Iran’s 2025 law, which expanded the definition of espionage and other security-related offenses. They said these laws have been exploited to criminalize dissent, particularly targeting Kurds, with charges like “enmity against God,” “spreading corruption,” and “armed rebellion” often used to suppress opposition.

Additionally, the experts issued an urgent appeal on behalf of specific individuals facing imminent execution. Among them are four Kurdish detainees—Yousef Ahmadi, Raouf Sheikh Maroufi, Mohammad Faraji, and Mohsen Eslamkhah—and one Baloch individual, Farhad Baranzehi. All are said to have been subjected to torture and forced confessions during their proceedings.

These cases exemplify a broader pattern of systematic repression against Iran’s Kurdish and Baloch minorities. The experts noted that earlier death sentences have been imposed on individuals such as Pakhshan Azizi and Varisheh Moradi, reflecting ongoing efforts to silence dissent and persecute these communities.

Finally, the experts highlighted that targeting of minorities extends beyond Iran’s borders. They reported campaigns of threats and surveillance against members of these groups living abroad, describing such actions as a form of transnational repression. Iran has seized assets of Iranians abroad and issued lists of Kurdish leaders and activists facing in absentia sentences and extradition requests, further demonstrating its efforts to control dissent beyond its borders.